1. The biggest first-order mistake
The classic mistake is ordering an ultra-sweet cocktail or a double shot immediately. Sweetness can hide how strong a drink tastes and make it easy to finish too quickly. Starting fast often means losing energy before the group reaches the second bar.
2. What should you order?
Choose what you already know, but keep it simple. A regular draft beer, a simple gin and tonic, a Spritz, cider or a familiar soft drink is predictable. A pub crawl is not the ideal time to test extreme combinations or discover your limit.
3. Beer, wine, cocktails or spirits?
For a first pub crawl, draft beer, cider or a long mixed drink is usually the easiest option. These drinks are often lower in alcohol than straight spirits, come in a larger volume and naturally take longer to finish. That helps you hold a drink, join a toast and keep a steady pace.
4. Drinks I would avoid
The aim is not to ban a particular drink, but to avoid choices that make pacing difficult. Caffeine can make you feel more alert, but it does not reduce alcohol’s effects on your body.
- Multi-spirit cocktails such as a Long Island or Zombie
- Alcohol mixed with energy drinks
- Large amounts of red wine if you know it gives you headaches or fatigue
5. Are shots compulsory?
Absolutely not. You can toast with water, a soft drink or an alcohol-free shot made with juice or syrup. A good guide should never create pressure to drink. At Meet, Drink & Party, the social moment matters more than what is inside your glass.
6. What if you do not drink alcohol?
Order a mocktail, sparkling water with lemon, ginger ale, tonic or another soft drink you enjoy. A cold glass with ice and garnish still feels festive, and you can enjoy the conversations, bars and club without alcohol. You may also wake up ready to explore Paris the next morning.
7. The two-glass hydration rule
When you order your main drink, ask for a large glass of tap water at the same time: “Un verre d’eau, s’il vous plaît.” Drink it while your order is prepared or between conversations. Water does not cancel alcohol, but it helps you slow the rhythm and notice how you feel.
8. A steady route to the club
The best strategy is a straight, controlled pace rather than alternating between extremes.
- Bar 1: a soft drink, mocktail or light beer
- Bar 2: your familiar drink plus a full glass of water
- Bar 3: one drink for the atmosphere, followed by water
- Club: sparkling water or a non-alcoholic option; use caffeine only if you already tolerate it
9. Thirty seconds that can ruin half the night
One enthusiastic traveller once ordered three tequila shots back to back as soon as he arrived. About 45 minutes later, he was outside with a guide drinking water instead of meeting people at the second bar. He missed much of the night because of one impulsive order.
10. Popular cocktails with international travellers
The drinks guests ask for most often include Mojitos and Aperol Spritzes from late spring to autumn. In colder months, gin and tonic and Whisky Sour are common choices. Popular does not automatically mean right for you, so check the ingredients and strength before ordering.
11. What visitors think of French beer
Many visitors expect Paris to be only about wine and are pleasantly surprised by the beer selection. 1664 and Kronenbourg remain familiar bar classics, while local craft beers and light wheat beers are often the most interesting discoveries in partner venues.
12. What I usually order in Paris
My own simple choices are a gin and tonic, sometimes with a local gin or rosemary, or a cold blonde lager. They are not overly sweet, they are easy to pace and they let the evening remain about the people rather than the drink.
13. My unpopular opinion about alcohol
Alcohol does not make anyone more interesting or funnier. It can amplify what is already there, but confidence and curiosity do not come from a glass.
If you are open-minded and ready to talk, you can be just as social with a non-alcoholic beer or a Perrier. Never drive after drinking, stop if you feel unwell and ask a guide or venue team for help. Your best night is the one you can remember and enjoy safely.